If I Only Had
by LouBlue
Summary: EJami fic. A fanciful imagining of what could but trust me, won't happen when Sami finds out that EJ was behind Sydney's kidnapping. Prepare to suspend disbelief as you follow Sami's journey to work out what it is she should do about EJ's betrayal.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE****: **Um, okay, how to explain this fic to you... See I was in this really silly mood a couple of weeks ago and felt like blowing off some creative steam. For those of you who know my mammoth story "Fated" I'd been going hard and heavy in that fic for some time. I was looking for a bit of fun and an outlet for some humour which I haven't been able to use in my other fics lately and viola – this fic was born.

At "Forbidden Love" where more of mine and so many other simply brilliant EJami fics are being stored up we are currently running a fic challenge for the writers to write a story about how they see the Sydnapping reveal going down. Now I've written a story for that which I will post here once the competition is over but this imagining also came to mind but ended up being too long for the challenge. So instead I posted it and myself and my readers had a jolly old time together as I posted it over the week.

The game was who was going to be which characters which will make sense to you when you start reading it. Now as I have included some real life people in this fic I would just like to make it very clear that this is just me being silly and in no way necessarily reflects my actual opinion on some matters... so please don't sue me. It's really not worth your time because I have no money, promise. LOL This fic takes a couple of jabs at certain things that if you're not a hard core follower of Days you might not quite get. I think the important thing for you to know to make sense of this story is that Ken Corday is the Executive Producer of Days and recently gave an interview that made a lot of EJami fans very unhappy as is his habit. He's a Safe fan unfortunately which kind of sucks but then so does that pairing so it works out nicely. LOL You'll need to know that for this story, trust me.

So after all that waffle I suppose I'll just let you read it and make up your own mind. This fic is less than 20K long so not too much to handle and I'll update regularly, promise. Hope you have as much fun with it as I did and just a warning... it is EXTREMELY wacky and fanciful.

Don't say I didn't warn you. ;)

**If I Only Had****...**

**Chapter ONE**

"What did you say?"

Sami's hoarsely asked question hung between the two men as she stared at them both with wide eyed horror.

"Samantha," said EJ, looking both guilty and stricken, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to hear you say that you were the one who took Sydney," said Sami, angry tears forming in her eyes.

She didn't want this to be true, couldn't bear it to be true but could see that it was by the guilty and ashamed look on EJ's face. Sami had come downstairs for a glass of water but after overhearing EJ and his father talking she'd gotten a whole lot more.

"You bastard!" Sami hissed at him, her heart filling up with hatred for him.

Sami turned and ran from the DiMera mansion living room, intent on getting her children and leaving this place and EJ for good. A white hot rage burned through her that she'd never known before as she bolted from the room.

"SAMANTHA!" EJ called out urgently but that only made Sami run faster.

She was at the foot of the marble stair case starting to run up it when her foot slipped out from under her. It happened too fast for Sami to save herself and she began to fall. The last thing she knew was her head connecting painfully with the unforgiving marble step and then there was only blackness.

**oooOOOOooo**

The pain in Sami's head was the first thing she noticed as she groggily blinked her eyes open. The next thing was that she was lying in a field of brilliant green and lush looking grass and yet she still didn't feel that comfortable. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked around in confusion at the kaleidoscope of colours. Sami blinked and blinked again at the strangely familiar scene. The last thing she remembered was screaming at EJ and falling and now she wasn't sure where she was.

"Hello," said a bright voice from above her.

Sami looked over at the cornfield on the other side of the patch of grass and her eyes nearly fell out of her head at what she saw. It was a scarecrow up on a pole, a talking scarecrow and more than that, a scarecrow that Sami actually knew.

"St-stephanie?" she stammered in disbelief, "Is that you?"

The usually attractively dressed young woman was wearing misshapened oversized pants and chequered shirt with bright yellow suspenders holding them up. On her head was a dilapidated straw hat whilst more straw stuck out from her shirt, pants and of course her head.

"That's my name," she nodded excitedly, "Stephanie the Scarecrow – why how did you know that stranger?"

"It's me Stephanie – Sami," said Sami unevenly, "I'm your cousin."

"What's a cousin?" asked Stephanie Scarecrow brightly.

"Am I dead?" asked Sami, wrinkling up her nose in concern at that thought.

"You don't look dead," said Stephanie easily, "But then I'm not too clever so you probably shouldn't ask those things of little old me."

"Okay I'm hallucinating," declared Sami firmly, still propped up on her elbows on the grass, "That's what this is; I'm just having some kind of very vivid, crazy dream."

She looked around herself and tried to make this sound less weird then it actually was.

"And I'm in Oz," Sami said slowly, "I'm in Oz and I'm very uncomfortable-"

Sami looked down at her gingham blue dress and put her hand to her head to feel the pigtails her hair was tied into.

"And I'm dressed like the Swiss Miss," she said flatly, "Great, just great."

"I don't know what Swish Mist is but I think I can guess why you're uncomfortable," volunteered the seemingly perennially sunny Stephanie the Scarecrow, "You landed on the Wicked Wizard of the East when you fell from the sky just now."

"I did what?" asked Sami and then her eyes widened as the words set in, "Oh my god!"

She scrambled to her feet, her hands going to cover her mouth at the sight that met her eyes.

"Rafe!" she said in horror.

Rafe was pressed into the ground, motionless as the impact with Sami had seemed to drive him in so he was almost flat with the green grass. He wore all black including a cape and a vaguely unflattering hat which may have looked more impressive before Sami swan dived on top of it.

"Oh no!" Sami gasped, dropping to her knees, "Don't be dead, please don't be dead!"

"Maybe he's not," offered up Stephanie from her perch, ever helpful.

"He's just lying there not moving and has no facial expression whatsoever," Sami bit out in frustration as she glared back at Stephanie, "What else could he be?"

"You never met the guy did you," said Stefanie knowingly, "That was pretty much him alive – his lips only moved to mumble."

"Rafe didn't-doesn't mumble!" Sami leapt to his defence.

"Well he's not now no," agreed Stefanie readily enough.

Sami was about to go into full blown panic mode when she realised something.

"This is just a dream," she reminded herself shakily, "This isn't happening, Rafe isn't dead."

Sami stood up then on unsteady legs.

"Alright I've had enough now," she said, "I want to go home."

"Well if you want to go home you need to go and see the Big Wizard," said Stephanie knowingly, "He's the one to ask those kinds of things of. I'd love to go and see the Big Wizard myself."

She gave a dramatic sigh then and looked very sad.

"I really need a brain but I can't go anywhere stuck up here on this pole like this," she said with another sigh.

Sami cocked her head and walked over to where Stephanie the Scarecrow was on top of the pole and looked her up and down, taking in the way her arms were stretched out as far as they could go either side of her.

"You're hanging onto the pole," Sami informed her.

"I know," said Stephanie, looking at her seriously.

Sami pulled a bit of a face but continued on.

"If you let go of the poles with your hand then you wouldn't be stuck there," Sami pointed out calmly.

Stephanie looked at her in wide eyed amazement at that observation. She looked to her right and then to her left, slowly letting go of the pole with her hands. Stephanie raised them up and then took one step away from the pole and then another.

"I'm free!" she exclaimed in amazement before beaming at Sami and grabbing her into a tight hug, "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"How long were you up there for?" asked Sami, hesitantly returning the hug.

"I don't know," said Stephanie thoughtfully, "A couple of years maybe."

"Wow," said Sami, nodding slowly, "You really need that brain don't you?"

"Yes," said Stephanie sadly, "I really do."

"Well then I guess it is off to see the Big Wizard then," said Sami with a sigh, "So I can get out of this nightmare and get back to kicking EJ's ass."

"What's an EJ?" asked Stephanie with interest.

"It is a cruel, disgusting creature that I'm going to vanquish from my life and the life of my kids forever and ever," said Sami dourly.

"Oh," said Stephanie, looking suddenly afraid, "He sounds scary."

"He is," said Sami with a scowl, "But I'm scarier."

"You can get a cream for that," said Stephanie seriously.

"What?" asked Sami, looking at her askew.

"For being hairier," she said intently, "You can get a cream to bleach them right off."

"No not hairier – [i]_scarier[/i]_," said Sami in annoyance.

"Sorry," said Stephanie as she pulled straw from her ears, "I've got straw in my ears."

"So I see," said Sami flatly.

Just then a huge puff of orange smoke filled the area and a man appeared in a black cape similar to Rafe's and a huge black witch's hat. He had a big black wand and a crazy look in his eyes. Sami stared at the unbelievable sight and prayed she was going to wake up soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter TWO**

"Oh no!" Stephanie gasped in horror, "It's Kenny, the Wicked Wizard of the West!"

"Who?" asked Sami, looking at the man in confusion.

Stephanie dropped down and hid behind Sami, peering out nervously.

"It's Kenny, the Wicked Wizard of the West!" she blurted out breathlessly, "He has control over everything here in Dayz."

"Dayz?" repeated Sami, "I thought this was Oz?"

"Who's ever heard of a place called Oz?" asked Stephanie looking up at her in confusion.

"Okay," said Sami with a roll of her eyes, "My mistake – so who is this Kenny again?"

She rather assumed that everyone she met would be someone she knew in real life but she'd never seen this Kenny before in her life.

"He's the one who can make you do or say anything he wants you to," said Stephanie fearfully, "He can make you smart or stupid, the hero or the bad guy with the help of his trainee Wizards Dena and Gary."

Sami snorted at that.

"That doesn't sound very likely to me," Sami said in disbelief, "I'm master of my own destiny."

"And they say I need a brain," muttered Stephanie under her breath.

"Ra Ra!" exclaimed Kenny in horror, rushing over to where the pancake like Rafe was still lying, "What have they done to you baby?"

"It was an accident," volunteered Sami hastily, hurrying over to where Kenny the Wicked Wizard of the West was crouched over the inert and flattened body of Rafe.

"You!" hissed Kenny, raising an accusatory finger at Sami, "You killed my little Ra Ra!"

"Not intentionally," Sami said, a bit miffed now, "Besides, he must have seen me coming – why couldn't he have gotten out of the way?"

"My precious doesn't have to get out of the way of anyone!" declared Kenny imperiously, "I make sure everyone is here to look after my Ra Ra, not the other way round! Someone so beautiful doesn't need to do anything other than stand around and be beautiful – with his shirt off!"

Sami pulled a face, suddenly feeling a little unsettling now. She looked down at Stephanie a little sceptically.

"We don't know why Kenny loves Rafe so much he just does," whispered Stephanie to her with a little shrug, still crouched behind Sami, "The crows have told me stories of how they've seen Rafe dancing around a fire at night in the forest for Kenny - completely naked and covered in honey."

"Okay now this is just getting weird," said Sami, making a pained expression.

"You killed my dancing queen!" bellowed Kenny, "For that you must die!"

Kenny dramatically rose up his wand, preparing to cast a terrible spell.

"I will turn you into a beige character that simpers and fawns from now on until the rest of eternity," he declared dramatically, "People will glaze over when they see you and pray for your death!"

"Be careful!" exclaimed Stephanie in horror, "He put the same spell on me a couple of years ago!"

"Now look here Kenny," Sami began but was cut off by a furious wizard.

"SILENCE!" he roared, "I am the orchestrator of your demise Samantha Brady!"

Sami took a step back, suddenly worried about where this was going. She couldn't ever be relegated to being 'beige' could she? She was Sami Brady – hellfire on a stick, the bane of anyone who got in her way. No one could ever call her boring right?

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

The powerful voice echoed around the hills and made everyone start.

"YOU!" growled Kenny in disgust.

"EJ!" exclaimed Sami in shock.

EJ had appeared, all dressed in white and bearing a rather majestic looking wand and sporting a pair of large black spectacles. A halo of brilliant light lit him from behind and despite herself Sami couldn't help but notice how good he looked right then.

"I won't let you hurt her," said the vision in white forcefully.

"It's James, the Good Wizard of the North!" exclaimed Stephanie in delight, "We're saved!"

"That's not James it is EJ," said Sami in annoyance, not wanting to be saved if it was by him.

"Do you think you can stop me James?" asked Kenny, drawing himself up to his full height but still not being able to match the other man.

"The question is do you think you can stop me?" James purred back, "You've thrown everything at me – torture, assault, evil plans and yes, even stupidity and subpar writing but I'm still here. My magic is too strong for you Kenny."

"She's mine!" declared Kenny dramatically, "And I'm going to kill the character of Sami Brady if it is the last thing I do!"

"Not if I have anything to do with it," said James roundly and waved his magnificent wand at the other man and he was gone in a puff of black smoke.

"Is he dead?" asked Sami hesitantly.

"You can't kill Kenny," said James with a half smile, "Otherwise Dayz would die with him but you can lock him away in a castle for a bit with duct tape over his mouth so he won't keep on making a nuisance of himself every five minutes."

"I didn't need your help EJ," Sami sniffed, "I was doing just fine so don't expect a thank you."

"Samantha you always need saving, mostly from yourself," said James the Good Wizard of the North with an affectionate smile, "And I'm not EJ – I'm James."

"Just because you put on a pair of Clark Kent glasses and carry a painted stick doesn't make you not EJ," Sami snapped.

"That's a double negative and yes it does," said James easily, "I'm James and yes, EJ and I might look alike but we are completely different people. I really think you should give EJ a chance to explain what he has done and you should listen to him and be honest with yourself."

"Why should I do that?" Sami bit out, folding her arms in front of herself defiantly.

"Because it would make a lot of wonderful people very happy and rescue everyone from watching Rafe continually trying to suck your lips off your face," said James evenly, "Plus you'd have a lot more story to tell in the future."

"You are making absolutely no sense," said Sami flatly, "Now get me out of here."

"I can't do that Samantha," said James patiently, "You have to go and see the Big Wizard and only he can send you home."

"Fine!" Sami growled, "I'll go and see the stupid big wizard and when I do I'm going to get him to send me home so I can kill you!"

"If you put it just like that then I'm sure he'll grant your wish right away," said James with a quirk of his lips.

"Bite me baby stealer!" Sami snapped.

"Just take the ruby slippers and head down the yellow brick road Samantha," said James tolerantly, "You know the drill."

Sami looked over at Rafe and gave a little gasp, not sure why she hadn't noticed the brilliant red and sparkling high heel shoes before.

"Why is Rafe wearing women's shoes?" asked Sami in distress.

"Apparently it's not that big a deal if you work in the FBI," said James straight face, "Just ask J. Edgar."

"They won't fit me," said Sami, finding this to be a very disturbing turn of affairs.

"They're magic Samantha," James reassured her, "They'll fit any foot that tries them on."

Sami walked over and gingerly pulled the ruby shoes from Rafe's feet and put one on.

"Oh," she said in disgust, "It's all sticky."

She pulled out her foot and put in her hand, bringing it up to her nose.

"It's honey," she declared flatly.

"Could have been a lot worse if the rest of what the crows told me was true as well," said Stephanie knowingly.

Sami pulled a face at that observation.

"Remember now," James cautioned them as Sami wiped out the shoe with her dress and put them both on, "Stay on the yellow brick road and you'll be there in no time."

"If you were a real wizard you could just magic us there," Sami grumbled.

"It's as much about the journey as it is about the destination my dear," said James cheerfully.

"I've got a journey for you bud," Sami muttered grumpily but in a flash of blinding light James the Good Wizard of the North was gone.

"Wow," Stephanie breathed, clearly impressed.

"Yes wow," said Sami dourly.

"That James sure has a nice wand doesn't he?" said Stephanie, sending Sami a shy look.

"EJ DiMera doesn't have a nice anything!" Sami snapped, "And I can't believe he is meant to be Glinda in this story – I must have hit my head harder than I thought!"

"I can't believe we're off to see the Big Wizard, the wonderful Big Wizard of Dayz," sang Stephanie the Scarecrow happily.

"Yeah," said Sami dourly, starting off the yellow brick road, "Wa-frickin-hoo."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter THREE**

"I spy with my little eye-"

"Yellow brick road," Sami interrupted Stephanie flatly.

"Oh," said Stephanie, looking put out, "How did you know?"

"Because you've chosen that your last six goes," said Sami dourly as they walked along said road together.

"Oh," said Stephanie, "Did I? I forget."

"I wish I could forget," muttered Sami darkly, "This is all EJ's fault. I wouldn't even be here if he wasn't such a creep."

"You talk about him a lot for someone you hate," observed Stephanie, skipping along.

"That's because I hate him," said Sami in annoyance.

"It seems to me that if you really hated him you wouldn't want to talk about him at all," Stephanie reasoned.

"What would you know?" Sami grumbled, not wanting to consider that, "You've got a squirrel living in your head!"

"His name is Gavin," volunteered Stephanie happily, "He likes nuts."

"Well he's in the right place," said Sami dourly.

"Hey Crockett and Tubbs!"

Sami and Stephanie stopped and looked at each other before turning around slowly. Sami's eyebrow arched as she looked over to the row of trees just off the road, her eye caught by a flash of silver metal. She started to walk towards the odd sight.

"A little help?" suggested the frozen stiff and shiny figure.

"Did she just call me fat?" asked Stephanie in concern.

"Nicole?" said Sami with a quirk of her lips and ignoring her squirrel laden friend, "Figures that you'd be the Tinman – no heart and all."

"Figures you'd cast yourself as the helpless victim in your own fantasy," threw back Nicole coolly.

"I'm not helpless and I'm not a victim," said Sami, putting her hands on her hips, "And I'm definitely not frozen to the spot and looking like an idiot."

Nicole was silver from head to toe, a funnel on her head just as Sami remembered from the beloved movie.

"Big talk from a grown woman in gingham and pig tails," observed Nicole with a sniff.

"Remind me why I should help you Nicole?" asked Sami defiantly.

"Because that's how the story goes," said Nicole flatly, "Besides I've got your dog."

"I don't have a dog," said Sami in confusion.

"This story has to have a dog," said Nicole in annoyance, "And I've got him."

"Where?" asked Sami, looking Nicole in her tin suit up and down.

"Use the oil can on me and we'll talk," said Nicole with a challenging look, "And make it snappy, I don't know how much air Pookie's got left."

"Isn't it meant to be Toto?" asked Sami in annoyance as she picked up the oil can by the frozen Nicole and began to oil her hinge joints.

"It's your concussed fantasy," said Nicole disinterestedly, "You're writing this puppy – don't talk to me about inconsistencies."

"If I was writing this then I'd already be home," said Sami in irritation.

Sami finished oiling up Nicole and watched as her silver nemesis slowly began to move, joints creaking loudly. Nicole quickly became more fluid in her movements and as she raised her arms up over her head Pookie the Pomeranian fell from the back of her tin frame.

"That cannot be sanitary," said Sami wrinkling her nose as the little dog shook it's fluffy head and gave a little stretch of its back legs, released now from its prison.

"Hi," said Stephanie brightly, "I'm Stephanie the Scarecrow and we're off to see the Big Wizard so I can ask him for a brain."

"Better late than never," observed Nicole dryly.

"The Big Wizard is going to give me a brain so I can figure out how to keep my man once and for all," Stephanie sighed with a dreamy look in her eye.

"Yeah you keep shooting for that brass ring honey," said Nicole laconically, "I'm sure it is all going to work out peachy keen for you."

"I'm just trying to get home," said Sami flatly, "I want out of this nightmare."

"And it's always about what Sami wants isn't it?" said Nicole dourly.

"Shut the hell up baby thief," Sami snapped at her, "Why aren't you in jail anyway?"

"I'm stuck in your delusional fantasy," said Nicole in annoyance, "That is punishment enough don't you think?"

"No!" said Sami sharply, "And pick up your dog."

"I can't bend over," said Nicole breezily.

"Half the male population of Salem under ninety is going to be disappointed to hear that," said Sami sourly.

"Oh like you're the vestal virgin all of a sudden," Nicole said with a roll of her eyes.

"Men never had to pay me for sex," Sami shot back at her sharply.

"All those men paid Sami, one way or the other they paid," said Nicole with a sweet smile.

"Do you two know each other?" asked Stephanie a little hesitantly.

"She stole my husband!"

Nicole and Sami eyed each other in annoyance as they both spoke at the same time.

"I didn't steal EJ you threw him away!" said Nicole bitingly.

"You saw EJ was mine and all you could think of was taking him from me," threw back Sami angrily.

"But you never wanted him remember?" said Nicole sarcastically, "At least that is what you told everyone in Salem who would listen."

"I didn't, I don't-" Sami stammered before glaring at Nicole, "That's not the point!"

"What was the point Sami?" asked Nicole with a saccharine smile, "That as usual you couldn't see a good thing when it fell at your feet and now are all huffy when someone else could?"

Sami's lips pressed together in an angry line at Nicole's words.

"Unclench Dorothy," said Nicole bitterly, "EJ may have married me and shared my bed but I never really had him. It was always you – even when he was telling me how much he loved me it was always you."

"Wh-what?" asked Sami, taken aback by that.

She'd never let herself imagine that EJ might have still had feelings for her during his marriage with Nicole. A part of her had to wonder what would have happened if she had.

"Don't act so surprised," said Nicole in annoyance, "You're that man's syphilis – just when he thinks he is over you there you are, a nasty little rash that won't quit."

"I had syphilis once," volunteered Stephanie blithely, "At a Japanese restaurant."

"I think she means sushi," said Sami with a frown.

"We can only hope," said Nicole wryly before looking down at Sami's feet, "You've got the Wicked Wizard of the East's shoes on."

"I know," said Sami with a grimace.

"How did you get them off Rafey Poo – he loved those heels?" asked Nicole with interest.

"I fell on him and now he's kind of dead," said Sami with another grimace, reminding herself that this was all a dream and Rafe was perfectly alright in the real world.

"And they say I'm rough on my exes," Nicole snorted in amusement.

"It was an accident," said Sami in annoyance.

"Well whatever it is you've made a lot of people in these here parts happy with taking out Robocop once and for all," noted Nicole knowingly, "He was universally hated."

"No he wasn't!" Sami gasped, "Everyone loved Rafe – he was a hero!"

"No," said Stephanie, giving her an apologetic look, "We all hated him but Kenny the Wicked Witch of the West put a spell on us all and we had to say we loved him and that he was a hero."

"That's insane," said Sami with a frown, "Rafe is a hero and everyone does love him – he's perfect in every possible way."

"Looks like someone is still under a spell," said Nicole with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm not under a spell," Sami protested, "Rafe is perfect!"

"I guess it is easy to be perfect when you don't tell anyone about your past or anything about yourself," said Nicole sweetly.

"It-it's his job," Sami said, wrinkling his nose, "He has to be secretive."

"Aha," said Nicole with a smirk, "You keep telling yourself that Sami and I'm sure everything is going to work out just dandy for you two."

She looked down at Sami's feet again.

"And those ruby slippers give you cankles," she informed Sami casually.

"At least I don't look like a second hand sex toy," Sami snapped back at her.

"What's a sex toy?" asked Stephanie, falling in beside Nicole as she began to head off down the yellow brick road.

"It's what you are honey unless you finally get that brain of yours that you need so badly," Nicole informed her blithely.

Sami watched the two of them walking off together and looked down at her sparkling shoes. On impulse she closed her eyes tightly and clicked her heels together three times.

"There is no place like home, there is no place like home," she said desperately before slowly opening her eyes.

She looked around herself and pulled an annoyed face at her overly colourful surrounds, obviously still in the land of Dayz.

"Crap," she muttered before reluctantly following after her other two companions.

She looked back at little Pookie who was looking up at her expectantly.

"Come on little butt monkey," Sami sighed in resignation, "I suppose you're a part of this too."

Pookie gave a happy bark and trotted off down the yellow brick road as well after the other two.

"My life sucks," grumbled Sami as she trudged off after them and wondering why she hadn't woken up yet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter FOUR**

"So I'm going to ask the Big Wizard for a brain so I can work out once and for all the right man for me and how to keep him," Stephanie announced cheerfully as she skipped along.

She gave a curious sidelong glance at Nicole.

"Why do you want a heart?" she asked Nicole inquisitively.

"My guess it is so the villagers can drive a stake through it," said Sami dryly.

"Blow me gingham girl," said Nicole curtly, "And I'll tell you why I want a heart Scarecrow. I want a heart so that I can know the man that it truly belongs to and be able to give it to him completely – no more protective shells, no more tricks and manipulations."

"What will you do with your days if that happens?" Sami quipped mockingly.

"Hopefully not become some wimpy and bland woman sniffling about how her perfect boyfriend doesn't love her anymore," said Nicole giving Sami a pointed look.

"I'm not like that!" Sami protested in annoyance, "I've moved on and built a life!"

"Your life is a house of cards and you know it Sami," Nicole said coolly, "And it's all because you can't move on from the one man who has your heart."

"I can't make Rafe want to be with me," said Sami painfully.

"I'm not talking about Robo Cop," said Nicole dismissively.

"Then who?" asked Sami uncertainly, "Lucas?"

"Dear god but you're stupid," said Nicole in aggravation, "You're like the Michelangelo of denial. I mean EJ you little loser – EJ!"

"I hate EJ," Sami bit out, "I hate him! He's done terrible things to me!"

"And you've done terrible things to him," said Nicole with a bit of a shrug, "That's how love is sometimes."

"I don't love EJ," said Sami sharply, "I never have!"

"What do you make of a statement like then when it is coming out of the mouth of a pathological liar?" asked Nicole with a quirk of her lips, addressing Stephanie.

"I don't know," said Stephanie blankly, "A hat maybe?"

Nicole grimaced at that statement.

"Is it just me or is she getting stupider by the minute?" asked Nicole with a shake of her head.

"You're both stupid if you think I love EJ," Sami snapped.

"Do you know what I'd do if I loved someone?" asked Stephanie brightly, "I'd get pregnant so they'd never leave me and we'd be happy forever and ever together."

"Why don't you ask how Nicole how that kind of plan works out Stephanie?" Sami gloated, "She'll be able to tell you about the orange jumpsuit at the end of that rainbow."

"Like you can afford to throw stones in that particular glass house Sami," said Nicole with a twist of her lips, "Will, Austin – that ring any bells for you honey?"

Sami glared at Nicole for bringing up that piece of her less than noble past.

"Will Austin what?" asked Stephanie curiously.

"My god," said Nicole in annoyance at the other girl's continued vagueness, "Is there any chance you can let the squirrel do the talking for a little while and give us all a break Stephanie?"

"Gavin's shy," said Stephanie with a pout.

"He's probably just comatosed from listening to you dribble on all day," grumbled Nicole, "If this heart thing wasn't so important I'd-"

Nicole didn't get to finish her sentence as suddenly something large, yellow and furry fell from a tree they'd just been walking under and landed squarely on her. Nicole was on her back, covered in the ferociously growling creature, the two of them a blur of tail and arms and legs.

"Get the hell off me you freak!" Nicole bellowed and finally the lion managed to find its feet.

She leapt up and struck a threatening pose, hands up in front of her face, claws out.

"Chloe?" said Sami, looking at the woman in surprise.

"GRRROOOWWWRRR!" Chloe the lion announced loudly, "Get out of my forest! GRROOOOWWWWRRRRR!"

Her impressive roaring stopped abruptly when she noticed something.

"Oh crap," she pouted, lifting up one furry paw, "I've broken a nail."

"And I've broken my back!" Nicole snapped from where she was still lying.

"I should be so lucky," Sami snorted, "Get up drama queen, you're fine."

"I can't get off my back!" exclaimed Nicole, her arms and legs flailing wildly in the air as her unwieldy costume refused to give enough for her to get back up again.

"Everyone knows that already Nicole," said Sami in amusement, "You don't have to advertise."

"Alright enough with the slut jokes!" Nicole snapped in ire, "Since coming back to Salem I've been with exactly one man. Since I've been here you've been with three! Who's the slut now eh?"

Sami opened her mouth to shout out an angry denial but then was forced to close it again when she found she couldn't deny it.

"It's alright Sami," said Stephanie, giving her arm a sympathetic pat, "It's all Dena's fault."

"Dena?" asked Sami, looking at Stephanie in confusion and still reeling from Nicole's attack.

"She's an underling wizard of Kenny's and does a lot of his spells for him," said Stephanie.

Stephanie the Scarecrow looked very sad then.

"I used to be a racing car driver and have a brain before Dena came to Dayz," she said with a wistful sigh, "I used to be almost interesting but now I just annoy everyone."

"You got that right princess," said Nicole sourly.

"I used to be a good girl and now I'm the town bike thanks to Dena," said Chloe with a grimace, "I can't stop cheating on men."

"Do you have a bell?" asked Stephanie curiously.

"What?" asked Chloe in confusion.

"If you are a bike you must have a bell," said Stephanie earnestly, "That's right isn't it?"

"Yeah Stephanie Chloe has a bell because it gets rung often enough," said Nicole with a smirk, "And I like Dena."

"That's because since she's been in town you've gotten to be the Queen of Dayz," said Stephanie, looking put out for the first time since Sami had seen her.

"How did you manage that Nicole?" asked Sami, looking down at Nicole with a frown.

"I'm just that talented," said Nicole blithely.

"Plus she has pictures of Dena and that vacuum cleaner," said Chloe arching a perfectly groomed eyebrow that matched her whiskers and over coifed mane.

"What, doing house cleaning you mean?" asked Stephanie, as always not quite keeping up with the conversation.

"Well something was getting cleaned if the rumours are true," said Chloe with a smirk and a pointed look at Nicole.

"I call it my little insurance policy," said Nicole smugly, patting her chest where Sami assumed she had some kind of pocket thing going on.

"Maybe I'm dead after all and this is my hell," said Sami faintly as she listened to the women chatter on around her.

"That would certainly explain the outfit," agreed Nicole readily and earned herself a glare from Sami.

Just then Pookie gave a little bark.

"Oh my god what is that hideous thing?" Chloe screamed, leaping up onto a log and looking at Pookie in abject terror.

"Nicole," said Sami without missing a beat.

"Actually I think she means the dog Sami," said Stephanie seriously.

"That's what I said," said Sami with a sweet smile, "Nicole."

"I guess it is that sparkling wit that all those men hang around for," said Nicole sarcastically.

"Do you want help or not?" asked Sami with an arch of her eyebrow.

Nicole just grunted and Sami put out a hand and helped her to her feet. She turned then and looked Chloe up and down.

"Courage right?" Sami said.

"Yes," said Chloe sadly, "I need courage to choose between two men and to tell them that I've been unfaithful and that I'm sorry."

"Again?" asked Nicole in disgust, "Honey you don't need courage – you need duct tape to keep those legs of yours together."

"Nicole's got some left over," said Sami sweetly, "You can borrow hers."

"If I had any leftover I'd be using it on your mouth," said Nicole dourly, "Trust me."

"I don't trust any of you I just want out of Dayz and back to my life so I can throw EJ out of it!" declared Sami emotionally.

"Again with the EJ," said Stephanie with a roll of her eyes.

"It's the same with him," said Nicole in annoyance, "Samantha this, Samantha that – the best thing about ending out our marriage was not having to listen to that day in and day out."

The thought of being on EJ's mind so much during that time made Sami's heart flutter despite herself but couldn't resist another dig at Nicole.

"You didn't end the marriage Nicole," said Sami flatly, "EJ threw you back into the gutter where he found you."

Nicole glared at her for that crack but just like Sami before, didn't have an answer for it.

"Guys we'd better get going," said Chloe, looking up at the sky nervously, "It will be getting dark soon and that's when the flying monkeys really start to amass."

"There are flying monkeys in this hallucination as well?" asked Sami, her shoulders sagging in disappointment, "Crap!"

"That is one of the big problems with flying monkeys," agreed Nicole readily, "Amongst other things."

The four of them including Pookie began to hurry down the yellow brick road then, casting occasional glances at the sky.

"Hey Chloe," taunted Nicole as they went, "How appropriate is it that the serial adulterer is a giant pussy... cat in this dream?"

"I hope that acid tongue of your eats your face off," said Chloe flatly, unimpressed by her quip, "Oh wait, no that is more your style isn't it Nicole?"

"I just wish the bacteria had hit brain and then we'd all be out of our misery," said Nicole laconically.

"This is going to be a long, long walk isn't it?" asked Sami of no one in particular as the strange little troupe continued walking.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter FIVE**

"Wait a minute," said Sami as they walked along, "I have to powder my nose."

"Who needs to pee in their own hallucination?" asked Nicole with a roll of her eyes.

"I've had four babies," said Sami shortly, "Cut me some slack."

"Mmf," Nicole grunted as Sami quickly took herself off into the forest that ran alongside the yellow brick road.

"Should we have warned her about the toad stools that shoot poisonous darts when you touch them?" asked Chloe thoughtfully.

"Nah," said Nicole casually, "Sami likes surprises."

"What's up Stephanie?" asked Chloe, seeing the way Stephanie was fidgeting with her clothes.

"I'm worried this outfit makes me look fat," Stephanie fretted.

Nicole and Chloe exchanged glances.

"A bit," said Nicole without missing a beat, "Mainly round the head though."

"Oh no," Stephanie gasped, putting a hand to her head, "Should I take some straw out?"

"Couldn't hurt," joined in Chloe with a smirk.

Sami returned just in time to find a now headless Stephanie with a pile of straw at her feet.

"Why did Stephanie pull all the straw out of her head?" asked Sami in disbelief as Stephanie began to stagger around blindly before running into a tree and knocking herself out.

"Why do the kids of today do anything?" asked Nicole with a little shrug.

"Do you two have to be total bitches all the time?" Sami snapped at them in annoyance.

"We don't _have _ to," said Chloe with a quirk of her lips, "We just like it."

"Help me restuff her head," Sami ordered them as she started to gather up the straw, "We have to get to Emerald City so I can see the Big Wiz and get out of here."

"You're not the boss of us Sami," said Chloe with a sniff, "What's the big rush anyway?"

"The big rush is that I just found out that EJ was the one who kidnapped Sydney after you of course Nicole," said Sami, glaring at the other woman, "And I want to get back to Salem and give him a piece of my mind!"

"Are you sure you can spare it?" asked Nicole with an arch of her eyebrow, "You don't have much too spare since Dena started casting spells. All you've been doing for the last two years is grovelling after a man and playing the damsel in distress – not much brain power required for that."

"I have not and I'm as smart as I ever was!" Sami railed in outrage.

"Really?" asked Nicole sceptically, "When was the last time you schemed or hell, did anything even remotely interesting?"

"I-I-" Sami spluttered, trying to come up with an answer for her.

"It's true Sami," agreed Chloe apologetically, "You are pretty boring nowadays."

"Just because I'm not out there scheming and getting into trouble every five minutes doesn't make me boring!" Sami protested loudly.

"Yes it does."

Chloe and Nicole spoke as one.

"Ohh," Stephanie groaned, putting her hand to her head that Sami had just finished restuffing, "Why is there dirt in my mouth?"

"Because you pulled all the straw out of your head," said Sami in frustration, "You have to stop listening to these two – they are evil!"

"But interesting," said Nicole with a smirk.

"Let's just keep going," said Sami with a sigh, "The Big Wizard can't be far now."

They rounded the next curve and that was when they came to a little village by the side of the yellow brick road and a mass of people moving towards them.

"Why aren't they getting any bigger as they get closer?" asked Stephanie in her usual clueless fashion, tilting her head to one side perplexed.

"Because they're munchkins," Sami sighed, despairing they'd ever get anywhere if they kept picking up these freaks along the way.

"Oh and look who their leader is," said Nicole wryly, "Big surprise there."

"Oh Lucas," said Sami with a bit of a sigh as she watched her former husband waddle over to her excitedly.

Even in a hallucination it seemed fate was intent on being unkind to him. He stepped forward out of the crowd of munchkins and cleared his throat, puffing his chest out importantly. Sami glanced at all the other munchkins and was surprised to see so many faces she knew but none of them lived in Salem anymore and she wondered what that was about.

"I am Lucas," he announced proudly, "King of the Munchkins!"

"You're not our king," protested Willow from the back, "We had a meeting and no one else wanted to do it so you got the job. If anything you're a mouth piece of the munchkins. You're certainly not a king."

"Shut up Willow," Lucas snapped, "You're ruining my big moment!"

"I think it was already ruined when you decided to put on those green pants," commented Jan Spears knowingly.

"The pants are alright," said Calliope thoughtfully, "But the striped socks were a bit too much."

"This from a woman with a flower pot on her head," said Mia with a roll of her eyes.

"Will you all just shut the hell up!" said Lucas in annoyance, "I don't need this right now – I'm trying to be impressive!"

"Well you're half way there," commented John calmly, "You're trying."

"Good one man," said Steve with a smirk.

"Stop it you two," protested Kayla, "Lucas is doing his best."

"Yes John," Marlena admonished him, "Be quiet please."

"Mom?" said Sami in disbelief as she looked down on the diminutive version of her mother.

"Hello honey," she said brightly, "You look well – except for the dress of course and I'm not really sure about the hair either."

"Look can we get on with this?" asked Lucas in annoyance, "I'm opening the new Mushroom King drive through in less than an hour."

"It's already open," volunteered Bart easily, "I ate there for breakfast."

"Ug," said Anna, wrinkling her nose, "Drive through for breakfast, what will they think of next?"

"What?" said Lucas in disbelief, "They opened that without me? How could they? I got my ribbon cutting pants back from the dry cleaners especially!"

"I'm sorry to interrupt," said Sami hesitantly, having a feeling they could be here for hours at this rate, "But my friends and I-"

"We're not friends," Nicole interrupted her.

Sami threw her an annoyed look.

"Okay then, the losers I picked up along the way and I," said Sami, sending Nicole a sweet look, "Well we really have to be going now."

"But we have yet to thank you," Lucas protested, holding up the giant lollipop he was holding to stop her.

"Thank me for what Lucas?" asked Sami in confusion.

"Why for killing Rafe, the Wicked Wizard of the East," said Lucas in surprise, "What else?"

"It was an accident," Sami protested, "And why would you want him dead anyway?"

"It was because of him and his sisters we had to leave Salem," said Steve in annoyance.

"And even when we were allowed back in we were forced to make him look good," said Anna with a twist of her lips.

"They made me say he was cute," said Calliope quietly, "I feel all dirty now."

"They made me tell you to stick with Rafe over EJ when I've never even met the guy," said Susan in exasperation, "What the hell was that all about?"

"Yeah," said Lucas angrily, "Rafe came along and got a lot of us thrown out of Salem. I'm living in China now and I hate Chinese food!"

Lucas gave a bit of a shrug.

"Although I am considered tall over there which is nice," he admitted reluctantly.

"Lucas it isn't Rafe's fault that you're in China now," Sami tried to defend him.

"Yes it is!" argued Lucas fiercely, "I'm eating rice with chopsticks all because of Rafe – I'm going to starve to death! And the guys not even good looking! He's as ugly as sin!"

"Actually I've always thought you and Rafe kind of look alike," observed Anna casually.

"No we don't!" said Lucas, stung by that.

"Yes you do," Anna argued, "If you squint like this and look at the two of you it's hard to tell you apart."

Suddenly all of the munchkins were squinting at Lucas in a disconcerting display.

"Oh yeah," said Kayla thoughtfully, "I see what you mean – he looks just like Rafe."

"Only shorter," agreed John, squinting also.

"Will you all stop doing that!" said Lucas in vexation, swatting his lollipop at them, "You're freaking me out! This is about Rafe, not me!"

He turned back to Sami and pointed his giant lollipop at her accusingly.

"He and his family have taken over Salem and no one is happy about it!" announced Lucas in aggravation.

"Not true," said Chloe casually, "There are like five women at NBC who are happy about it – crazy happy in fact. And if you count all their multiple personalities that brings the count up to about a hundred."

"Multiple personalities don't count," said Lucas in vexation.

"Or spell or structure logical arguments or play well with others," noted Chloe dryly.

"Then all I need to have happen is for someone to take EJ out and then I'll be able to make a triumphant return to Salem," said Lucas, a gleam in his eye, ignoring their conversation, "And then maybe you and I Sami could-"

"Oh Lucas," Sami interrupted him with a grimace, "I'm sorry but that ship has sailed."

"And hit a reef somewhere off the Pacific coast," interjected Nicole, "Right now the fish are making little homes and crapping all over the good ship Lumi as we speak."

"Thank you for the visuals Nicole," said Lucas sourly.

"It's okay honey," said Nicole brightly, "We used to be married – I like to help you out when I can."

"Lucas," said Sami carefully, "You know how much I care for you and we'll always have Will and Ali – you'll always be their father."

"Until the next rewrite," said Chloe pragmatically.

Lucas glared at her for that little aside.

"Sorry," she said with a little shrug, "But we used to be married too so I was just trying to help as well."

"And they say marriage makes a man live longer," said Steve with a shake of his head.

"Nah," said John casually, "It just feels that way."

"John!" Marlena scolded him, "Do you mind?"

"Do I mind standing out here in a field on my knees listening to Pippy McSqueak bleating on?" asked John in annoyance, "Now that you mention it, yes I do mind Doc."

"Lucas!"

Kate's strident voice rolled over the hill from where there a cluster of houses sitting on top of them. Sami groaned, that was all she needed.

"What?" Lucas yelled back.

"Do you have clean underwear on?" hollered Kate from one of the little house.

"Wow," said Patrick wide eyed at the interruption, "Just as well Lucas already had so little dignity to lose already."

"Yes Mom!" Lucas growled in frustration over his shoulder, "Now shut up will you – I'm working here and you're embarrassing me!"

"Well excuse a mother for caring if her son has clean jockey shorts on," came back a miffed sounding Kate.

"Do you know what the really sad thing is here?" asked Nicole in disgust, looking at Sami and Chloe, "We've all done this guy – voluntarily."

"I didn't," announced Stephanie brightly.

"And for once that makes you the smartest one here," said Nicole dryly, "Enjoy it while it lasts honey."

"Enjoy what?" asked Stephanie in consternation.

"Never mind the moment has passed," said Nicole with a roll of her eyes.

"Look Lucas," said Sami urgently, "This is all just a crazy dream of mine and I need to wake up and to do that I need to go and see the Big Wizard. Can you tell me if I'm going the right way?"

"What's going on in Salem that is so urgent to get back to?" asked Lucas with a shrug, "Why don't you hang around for a bit? Come on Sami, I'll let you suck on my giant lollipop if you stay."

"Ohh I just had an unpleasant flashback to our wedding night," said Chloe, wrinkling her nose.

"I know," said Nicole matter of factly, "And he's being pretty generous with the use of the word giant too if my memory serves me correctly.

"Sami needs to get back to this Salem place and tell EJ she hates him," volunteered Stephanie helpfully.

"You hate EJ again?" asked Lucas, his face brightening up, "Does that mean you're finally going to throw him out of your life for good at long last?"

"Uh... yes, of course it does," said Sami a little unevenly.

"You hesitated," said Chloe, giving her a knowing look.

"No I didn't!" protested Sami in outrage, "EJ deserves all that he is going to get from me."

"Just like you deserved all you got from him," pointed out Nicole calmly, "Are you two ever going to call it quits and admit you're as messed up as each other?"

"Yeah I don't get it," said Chloe in exasperation, "Why are you and EJ always trying to screw each other over when you could just be screwing."

"Wow but that's romantic," commented Nicole dryly, "You should write for Hallmark Pussy Willow."

"Yes?" said Willow.

"No not you Willow," said Nicole with a shake of her head, "I meant Miss Legs Akimbo 2010 over here."

"Again if we can just circle the wagons back around," said Sami in frustration, "Are we going the right way Lucas?"

"Just stay on the yellow brick road," said Lucas sullenly, "That will get you where you need to go. But look out – it will be dark soon and evil things come out after dark here in Dayz."

"I thought your Mom's bingo night was on Tuesdays," said a laconic Steve.

"It's a Wednesday!" Lucas snapped over his shoulder at the other man, "And that's not what I'm talking about."

He turned back and looked at the little band of wanders worriedly.

"Perhaps I should come along and protect you girls?" Lucas suggested earnestly.

"Well that's sweet honey but when it comes to protection the most we can hope for is that you'll get stuck in the throat of whatever is trying to get us and give us time to get away," said Nicole coolly.

"Fine!" Lucas snapped defiantly, "You can all die horrible deaths – see if I care!"

With that Lucas turned on his heel and stormed off, swatting away the rest of the munchkins so he could get through.

"Running home to Mommy in a huff," said Chloe, pursing her lips, "Gee I wish I could say I hadn't seen that manoeuvre before from Lucas."

"He's an ex for a reason," said Nicole coolly, "Let's get this show on the road already. Princess Pinafore looks fit to burst and I'm not going to be picking bits of Sami out of my hair for the rest of this dream – that's for damn sure."

"Finally," Sami grumbled, walking back to the yellow brick road, "You've said something sensible Nicole – miracles do happen."

This hallucination was never going to end Sami decided in despair as she trudged along, wondering what new horror she was going to meet next as the rest of her rag tag band fell in behind.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter SIX**

"This totally craps me."

"What's up Philip?"

"What's up?" asked Philip, glaring at him in annoyance, "What do you think is up – we're frickin' flying monkeys in Sami's hallucination!"

"Could be worse," said Brady philosophically as he scratched his backside and found a tasty little treat in the form of a flea and popped it in his mouth.

"Dude you just ate an insect off your ass!" exclaimed Philip in aggravation, "How could it be worse!"

"We get these cool little hats," pointed out Dan, putting his on a more jaunty angle, "And the matching jackets."

"And that makes up for being monkeys how exactly?" asked Philip bitterly.

"The wings are pretty bitchin'," pointed out Brady, flapping his a little.

"Yeah Philip the wings are cool," agreed Dan, "You have to admit that."

"Alright I like the wings," said Philip grudgingly, "But the rest of it sucks donkey ass. Why does EJ get to be a big shot wizard waving his wand all over the place anyway?"

"Am I hearing a little wand envy there?" asked Brady with cheeky grin.

"Blow me," said Philip dourly.

"Guys can't we all just get along?" asked a voice below them.

"No one was asking you Nathan," said Philip curtly, "I've got a right to my opinions."

"It's just that you're bringing everyone down," chimed in Chad who was on a lower branch of the tree they were sitting on, next to Nathan.

"More down then a life that has as its highlight has us flinging our own crap at people?" Philip snapped, "Is that the life you were referring to Chad?"

"There are good things about being a monkey," Chad protested.

"Name one," said Philip sourly.

"I like not wearing pants," volunteered Nathan thoughtfully.

"Yeah I like that too," said Chad with an eager nod of his head.

"I like how flexible I am now," said Dan blithely, "I can reach parts of me I never could before."

"What kinds of parts Dan?" asked Brady, looking at him in amusement.

"You know, parts," said Dan vaguely, looking suddenly shifty.

"Eww - that's disgusting!" exclaimed Nathan and wrinkling his nose at his friend.

"Oh please like you haven't given it a go," said Dan with a roll of his eyes.

"It gets lonely with no lady monkeys," said Nathan with a little defensive pout, his shoulders sagging a little.

"So this is what my life has become," said Philip flatly, "At the beck and call of cuckoo Kenny boy and performing fellatio on myself – that college education was money well spent."

"Hey did you hear the news?" asked Dan suddenly, "Rafe the Wicked Wizard of the East is supposed to be dead?"

"Oh great," said Philip in annoyance, "Now Kenny will not only be cuckoo but cranky too. Great, just great."

"I hope he doesn't make us dance for him again now that Rafe is gone," said Brady in concern, "Honey really stains these jackets."

"Remember how Nathan's pubes caught fire last time?" asked Chad, chuckling to himself in amusement.

"It wasn't my pubes it was some stomach fur," said Nathan in indignation, "And if anything did catch alight it was because I'm so generously endowed!"

"Yeah right," Chad snorted and stuck out his foot, "Check out how big my feet are – you don't want to be playing that game with me Nathan."

"Dudes none of us wear pants," pointed out Dan in exasperation, "There is no point to that game of whose is biggest when none of us wears pants!"

"It's true," nodded Brady sadly, "We all know who the biggest boy monkeys are here."

They all turned as one and looked at the branch right at the top of the tree to the two silver back monkeys sitting side by side, calmly eating some nuts.

"They're looking at us again," commented Victor as he bit down on one walnut with his back teeth.

"Let them look," said Stefano casually, "We have nothing to prove eh?"

The two grey flying monkeys looked down between their legs and then back up at each other and smiled.

"No we don't," said Victor with a little chuckle, he held up what he'd just cracked open, "Nut?"

"Why not?" said Stefano jovially and took the offered treat and popping it in his mouth, "I've always enjoyed your nuts Victor."

"I thought we weren't going to talk about that Christmas party ever again," said Victor dourly.

"Admit it," said Stefano with a smirk, "You've never had better."

"I just wish there weren't photographs," grumbled Victor.

"Ah if wishes were horse my old nemesis eh?" chuckled Stefano, "The beggars would ride would they not?"

"What do you think they are talking about?" wondered Chad curiously, craning his neck and looking up at them.

"I don't know," said Brady with a shrug, "Who's got the best nuts I guess."

They all sat there for a long moment, lost in their own thoughts until Brady piped up again.

"Want to go and sit on in a tree and pee on some munchkins?" he asked them brightly.

There was a momentary pause as everyone looked at Philip.

"Yeah why not?" said Philip in annoyed resignation, "Nothing else to do. Pass me another banana and I might be able to do more than just pee."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter SEVEN**

"Well you're just the biggest cutie wutie now aren't you my fluffy wuffy?"

Sami watched out of the corner of her eye as Chloe appeared to have gotten over her aversion to Pookie and now was carrying her. In fact Chloe had the little dog held up to her face as she gushed all over her.

"Oh you like that do you my little honey bunny," cooed Chloe, holding Pookie up against her cheek.

"Ah you know Chloe that Nicole was keeping Pookie in her-" Sami stopped abruptly and grimaced as she watched the little dog lick Chloe's face as the woman kissed the little dog all over.

"In her what?" asked Chloe innocently as she and Pookie continued the love fest.

"You know never mind," said Sami pulling a face, "It's probably better you don't know."

"Probably don't know what?" asked Chloe absently as she and Pookie snuggled up to one another.

"That Pookie dropped out of Nicole's butt," said Stephanie blithely, ever eager to be a part of the conversation.

"Oh my god!" screamed Chloe and threw the little dog away but fortunately it landed in a very soft patch of grass and was totally unhurt.

Pookie immediately leapt to her feet and shook herself before trotting over to them all.

"I wasn't keeping Pookie in my butt," said Nicole with a roll of her eyes, "I have a flap."

"A flap?" cried out Chloe in distress, "Oh my god that is even worse!"

She began wiping at her face with her tail, screeching.

"A towelette, I need a towelette!"

"It's not that kind of flap," said Nicole in annoyance at her carry on.

Sami didn't care, if she was Chloe she'd be calling for a bucket of bleach right now.

"How many kinds do you have up there?" asked Chloe in real concern, eyeing Nicole suspiciously.

"Well at least I can keep my flaps closed when I want to," Nicole snarked at Chloe for her hysterics.

"Can we please stop saying the word flap?" asked Sami unhappily, "It's becoming disturbing."

"Is that the Emerald City?" asked Stephanie suddenly, pointing out ahead of them.

"No Stephanie," said Sami curtly, "It's a bush – just like the one before it and the one before that one."

"Oh," said Stephanie, "I thought it was the Emerald City."

"We know you little idiot," said Chloe in exasperation, "You have the memory of a retarded goldfish!"

"Gavin normally remembers the important stuff for me," said Stephanie brightly.

Gavin stuck his head out of Stephanie's head at the sound of his name and looked around at them.

"You're pretty brave harbouring that bushy little fugitive," commented Nicole thoughtfully as they all walked along, "It's probably has fleas and Kenny is going to be pissed if he finds out."

"I don't have fleas!" Sami snapped in annoyance, only half listening to their conversation, "And I'm not that bushy, it's just I couldn't make my appointment at the Wax Room on Monday and I-"

"Too much information," said Chloe, wrinkling her nose, "And we were talking about Gavin."

"Oh," said Sami, slightly embarrassed now before getting confused, "Why would Kenny hate Gavin?"

"Kenny hates all squirrels," said Nicole knowingly, "They are banned in Dayz."

"Who bans squirrels?" asked Sami in exasperation.

"Kenny," said Stephanie in a hushed whisper, looking around herself, "Gavin is the last one left in all of Dayz."

"This is just getting stupid now," said Sami in vexation, picking up the pace, "Come on, let's get to the Emerald City so I can get the hell out of Dodge."

"It's pronounced Dayz Sami," said Stephanie knowingly, "Da-ayyz."

Sami gritted her teeth and refrained from pulling the straw back out of Stephanie's head again.

**oooOOOOooo**

Kenny the Wicked Wizard of the West peered into his crystal ball, watching Sami and her crew head down the yellow brick road.

"So she thinks she can escape my wrath by going to see the Big Wizard does she?" he asked angrily, "I don't think so."

He walked over to where the flying monkeys were lolling around on the large window ledge.

"Fly my pretties!" Kenny commanded his monkeys, "Fly away and bring me back Sami Brady so I can do away with her once and for all!"

"What's in it for us?" asked Philip, staring back at him coolly.

"What do you mean what is in it for you?" asked Kenny in consternation, "I'm the Wicked Wizard of the West – you do as I say – that's what is in it for you!"

"Actually Ken we've been talking," said Philip calmly, "And the guys and I aren't happy."

"Yeah," nodded Brady, "We've organised a union and everything."

"A union?" repeated Kenny in disbelief, "Flying monkeys don't have a union!"

"We've joined with the Piano Tuners and Circus Freaks union," said Philip in satisfaction.

"Really?" said Dan in surprise, "I thought it was the Piano Freaks and the Circus Tuners union."

"Dude you really need glasses," pointed out Nathan, "You're not reading the fine print on the flyers Philip handed out properly."

"I guess it's true what they say about – too much flexibility makes you go blind," said Brady, tongue in cheek.

"If that were true you'd be talking Braille right now pal," said Dan in annoyance.

"Bite me," said Brady with a scowl which Dan promptly did, "OWW – hey!"

"I'm a monkey," said Dan with an unapologetic shrug, "What did you expect?"

"Stop it you two!" Philip snapped, "You're weakening our bargaining power."

"Our asses hanging out of our vests weaken our bargaining power," grumbled Brady, "Not anything we say."

"So a mutiny is it?" asked Kenny, folding his arms and glaring down at them all.

"We just want better working conditions and some respect," said Philip imperiously, "We deserve it – Chad _stop _ that!"

"It was itchy," said Chad defensively, pulling his hands away.

"You've scratched it enough," said Philip through clenched teeth.

"Yeah dude," said Dan with a smirk, "It's starting to swell."

Nathan glanced down nervously at his friend and edged away from him a little.

"I think it's time to add pants to my flying monkey's uniform," said Kenny with a roll of his eyes.

"The point is Ken that we're not doing squat for you until you come to the party," said Philip coolly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Is that right?" asked Kenny, arching an eyebrow at him.

"And we want lady monkeys!" pipped up Chad.

"I guess I could do that," said Kenny calmly, too calmly in fact.

Philip looked back at the other flying monkeys and gave them a self satisfied smirk as things seemed to go their way.

"Or I could do this instead," continued on Kenny without missing a beat.

He waved his wizard's wand and there was a puff of smoke around Philip and when it cleared all the other monkeys gave a gasp of horror.

"What?" asked Philip in concern, "What is it, I can't see all of a sudden. What's happened?"

"Dude you're a giant penis," said Dan in hushed awe.

"And you're a giant douche," Philip snapped back in annoyance, "What of it?"

"No you are literally a giant penis," said Brady, giving him a pained look.

"With balls," added on Nathan with a grimace.

"Well that's taken care of my swelling," said Chad, looking a bit sick.

"Anyone else want to stand up for their rights?" asked Kenny sweetly, looking at the rest of the flying monkey troupe.

"No I'm good."

"Aha."

"No thanks."

"Pretty happy how things are now that I think about it."

The rest of the flying monkeys all spoke at once, eager to not have the same fate befall them.

"You jerks!" said Philip in annoyance.

"Philip you were already a giant dick," said Brady unapologetically, "But I can't afford to lose my pretty."

"So are you all going to do as I ask now instead of wasting my time with your whining?" asked Kenny curtly.

"One annoying blonde coming up boss," said Dan quickly.

"Bring them all to me," said Kenny, an evil glint coming to his eyes, "I want to make an example of them all and what will happen to anyone who dares defy me!"

"Ahh Wizard Kenny?" said Philip hesitantly, "I can't really fly like this – a little help?"

Kenny looked him up and down, pursing his lips thoughtfully...


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter EIGHT**

"Well that went well," said Chad sarcastically as they all flew out to retrieve the little band of wanders for Kenny.

"Shut up Chad," Philip grumbled, "I wasn't the one having a wank in the middle of negotiations."

"Just as well considering how you ended up," said Brady with a smirk.

"Yeah how messy would have that gotten?" chuckled Dan.

"Shut up all of you!" snapped Philip in aggravation, "You were all as useful as tits on a bull during that whole thing."

"Well at least we didn't end up being a giant dick," said Nathan with a roll of his eyes.

"No you were all just giant puss-"

"Is that one of them?" interrupted Dan, squinting down at the ground below.

"No that's the munchkin king," said Chad with a roll of his eyes, "Man, you really need those glasses."

"I heard he was the mouthpiece of the munchkins, not the king," said Nathan thoughtfully as they flapped past Lucas.

"I heard he was the asshole of the munchkins," said Dan with a smirk.

"I've got funny taste in my mouth," said Philip, smacking his lips as they flew along.

"My advice," said Brady knowingly, "Try not to think about it."

"Okay there they are," said Nathan, pointing ahead to some specks on the yellow brick road off in the distance.

"Okay boys," said Philip, rallying them, "Assume the position and don't cock this up otherwise-"

"We're going to be cocked up?" offered up Brady with a grimace.

"That's about the size of it," said Philip grimly as he flapped his wings harder to get there more quickly.

**oooOOOOooo**

"Do you know what I like about clouds?" asked Stephanie happily, looking up at the sky ahead of them.

"No one knows and no one cares," said Nicole darkly as they all trudged along, no one bothering to look up and share Stephanie's wonder, "My feet hurt."

"It's probably because you're not used to being on them for so long" said Sami with a smirk, "You're usually holding them above your head by your ankles."

Her remark earned Sami a glare from Nicole but she ignored it.

"I like them because you can see all kinds of shapes in them," continued on Stephanie blithely.

"All you ever see in them is bunny rabbits," grumbled Chloe, her temper getting short as well, "Except for that one where you thought it was a bunny rabbit pretending to be a cloud."

"That isn't all I see," protested Stephanie indignantly, "That one over there looks like a flying monkey."

"I guess that makes a nice change from a bunny rabbit playing a banjo," said Sami flatly, none of the women bothering to look up as of yet because this game had definitely worn thin for everyone except Stephanie.

"Or a bunny trying on new shoes," said Chloe caustically.

"And don't forget the bunny getting the boob job," said Nicole in annoyance.

"Say what you will," said Sami with a shake of her head, "Those bunnies have a full life according to Stephanie."

"Well this one definitely looks like a flying monkey," said Stephanie stubbornly, "It's got the wings and the tail and even the little hat."

"Aha," said Nicole disinterestedly, "Sure it does."

"In fact there is a whole bunch of clouds that look just like flying monkeys, it's amazing," said Stephanie brightly.

Sami did look up then and her eyes widened in fear when she did.

"Stephanie there is a reason that those clouds look like flying monkeys," she said unevenly.

"Oh?" asked Stephanie cluelessly, "What's that?"

"They _are _ flying monkeys!" announced Sami in horror as the monkeys were drawing closer.

"What?" asked Nicole and Chloe in unison as both of their heads snapped up to the heavens.

"Oh crap," said Nicole in annoyance, "This is going to get ugly."

The flying monkeys were swooping down on them now as Sami and Nicole ducked for cover. Stephanie continued to admire the pretty clouds though, standing out in full view.

"Come here you moron!" Sami exclaimed, grabbing Stephanie's arm and dragging her towards some cover.

"I don't know what everyone is so upset about," said Stephanie, clearly perplexed, "They're only clouds."

Sami grimaced at her and gave up trying to convince her differently as there were more pressing concerns right then. Whilst she and Nicole had the presence of mind to get out of the way and find some sticks to protect themselves with it seemed cowardly Chloe was living up to her moniker as she went to pieces.

"FLYING MONKEYS, FLYING MONKEYS!" Chloe screeched running around hysterically in circles, "THEY'RE IN MY HAIR, THEY'RE IN MY HAIR!"

Chloe was batting away blindly at her head as the actual flying monkeys hovered above her cautiously, clearly not keen to touch the crazy. The screaming woman's mane was in her face so she didn't see the tree in front of her during one of mad circlings and ran straight into it, knocking herself clean out.

"Thank goodness for that!" said Nicole with an unsympathetic roll of her eyes, "If that noise didn't stop soon I was going to hit her with a stick myself."

"I've got the screechy one," said Philip, going to swoop down on her.

"Hold on I was going to have that one," protested Dan.

"Fine," said Philip in annoyance, "We'll both have her – happy now?"

"Whatever," said Dan with a shrug, "Just as well I don't mind sharing."

"If the rumours are true about this one it is practically a prerequisite," said Nathan knowingly.

"Just get the others and follow us," said Philip ordered them impatiently.

The rest of the monkeys circled over the heads of Sami, Nicole and Stephanie and a barking Pookie. Sami and Nicole waved the sticks they'd picked up, jabbing them at the monkeys but it was no good. They all swooped down, picking up one each of the travellers. The only thing was that thanks to both Philip and Daniel carrying off Chloe that meant there were only three monkeys left to grab four of them.

"Wait a minute," said Brady as he got a better grip on Nicole, "Wasn't it the blonde one we were meant to grab first?"

Chad had Pookie, Brady had Nicole and Nathan had Stephanie but no one had Sami.

"Well the boss isn't going to be happy about this," said Nathan with a grimace, "What are we going to do?"

Just then a silver flash whirled past them and scooped up Sami.

"Hey it's Stefano!" declared Chad happily, "We're saved!"

Sami struggled against Stefano but it was no use, he was just too strong for her as he began to carry her back towards an uncertain fate at the Kenny's wizard castle.

"You didn't think I wouldn't be in your story now did you my dear?" chuckled Stefano as Sami glared up at him helplessly.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter NINE**

All the flying monkeys were making their way back to the Wicked Wizard of the West's castle, their unwilling cargo in tow. Well mostly unwilling.

"Hello Mr Cloud," said Stephanie blithely as they flew along, "I must say, you do an excellent flying monkey impersonation."

"You're not very bright are you?" asked Nathan, arching an eyebrow at her as he navigated the skies.

"No," said Stephanie with a sad sigh, "I'm really not."

"Boy but you're heavy," grunted Brady as he was forced to flap his wings extra hard to get even half the height the other monkeys were getting with their hostages.

"It's the suit!" exclaimed Nicole indignantly.

"Oh okay," said Brady with a roll of his eyes, "It's the suit, sure thing."

"This dog smells funky," said Chad in concern as he held Pookie at arm's length, "What's up with that?"

"You don't want to know," said Sami with a grimace even as she was squirming in Stefano's grasp.

"I keep telling you it wasn't that kind of flap!" said Nicole in annoyance.

"Put me down Stefano!" Sami ordered him, struggling mightily.

"Alright," he said with a smirk, "You're a very stupid girl."

"I mean down on the ground," Sami said, glaring up at him.

"On the ground or in the air you are still a stupid little girl," Stefano tutted at her, "You rejected my son and have brought pain upon everyone."

"Oh right!" Sami snapped, "It's my fault that your son is a sociopath, right Stefano, sure thing!"

"It is your fault that his heart was shattered into a thousand pieces and he became a lost soul, wandering aimlessly through this life," said Stefano, not backing down.

"I, ah-" Sami stammered, wondering if she could afford to believe what Stefano was saying, "EJ never loved me, he never needed me, not really – it was just an obsession."

"My Elvis only loved you, only needed you," said Stefano, "What is love but an obsession anyway – able to see past faults and flaws and still want only them eh?"

"EJ and I are none of your business Stefano!" Sami bit out angrily.

"Maybe," said Stefano with a shrug as they arrived at their destination, "But you and Elvis are each other's business and it is time to face up to that."

Before Sami could give an indignant reply to that Stefano dropped her at the feet of Kenny, the Wicked Wizard of the West and flew off out the window he'd just brought them through.

"Oh no!" wailed Chloe emotionally as they were all dumped in front of Kenny in his lair, "This is bad, this is very bad!"

She turned to look at the others fearfully.

"How do I look?" she asked, putting a self conscious hand to her mane.

It was stuck out at all odd angles, totally uncoifed by the wind on the flight over to Kenny's lair.

"You look like a bug that's just hit the windscreen of a car," said Nicole unsympathetically.

"A very pretty bug though," chimed in Stephanie, trying to help as always.

"I don't want to die looking ugly!" Chloe wailed, her bottom lip trembling.

"No one is going to die," said Sami firmly, over all of this now.

She marched up to Kenny and glared up at him.

"Let my people go!" she ordered him, "You're not real, just a figment of my imagination so I say let us go Kenny – you have no power here."

Kenny gave her a bored look and without taking his eyes from Sami pointed his wizard's wand directly at Nicole where one of her arms promptly fell off.

"Oh crap!" said Nicole in dismay as she looked down at her flailing arm that was now on the ground.

Sami looked at Nicole and the arm that used to belong to her and decided that she just had to concentrate harder.

"It's my dream and I'm just going to dream your powers away!" declared Sami determinedly, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

Kenny pointed his wand at Nicole and her other arm dropped off now.

"Oh come _ON _!" she said in exasperation, "In what way is this fair exactly?"

"It's alright Nicole," said Sami, suddenly remembering her story, "I've got this covered."

She grabbed a jug of water that she could see sitting on the window sill by the monkeys and threw it all over Kenny.

"Melt you crazy bastard melt!" she declared triumphantly.

Kenny didn't melt though, just looked down at his soaked tunic and then back at Sami, decidedly unimpressed.

"Whoopsie," said Sami, wrinkling her nose.

Kenny pointed his wizard's wand yet again and this time one of Nicole's legs dropped off.

"For the love of god somebody please make her stop!" begged Nicole frantically as she hopped around on her one remaining leg.

"You know it's pretty funny when it's happening to someone else," commented Philip thoughtfully as all the flying monkey sat together, having hung around for the show.

"Right," agreed Brady, nodding in agreement, "It really is."

"You killed my beautiful Ra-Ra and for that you must die Sami Brady," said Kenny, dramatically raising up his arms.

"Uh oh," said Chloe with a grimace, "This is not going to end well."

"I'm not loving the middle either!" Nicole snapped as she hopped about, trying to keep her balance.

"But can't we all just be friends?" piped up Stephanie hopefully, "We don't have to fight do we?"

"She killed my Ra-Ra!" roared Kenny, "Sami and her friends will die!"

"In that case I just want to make it clear that we're not really with her," said Chloe, pointing at Sami, "We just met and if anything she is more of an acquaintance but definitely not a friend."

"Thank you for that Chloe," said Sami flatly.

"Honey you're screwed," said Chloe brightly, "A real friend wouldn't want to take others down with her would she?"

Just then Gavin put in an appearance, sticking out of the side of Stephanie's head and looking around himself with interest.

"Sq-squirrel!" stammered Kenny, his eyes going wide with fear, "Kill it, kill it now!"

Sami could see how scared Kenny was of the small creature and quickly took advantage of the situation. She grabbed Gavin from Stephanie's head and threw it at Kenny, hoping that it would create a diversion so they could make good their escape. Gavin for his part got quite the fright from being flung across the room unexpectedly and did what squirrels and most things for that matter do when they are frightened, he peed.

"NO!" screamed Kenny as the little creature clinging to his chest made with the waterworks, "NO, NO, NOOOO!"

All of a sudden Kenny began to smoke and then seem to get smaller.

"He's melting!" Chloe gasped in disbelief as a screaming Kenny began to become a puddle on the floor.

"Squirrel pee really?" asked Brady as everyone looked on in disbelief, "That is one specific ass Achilles' heel I gotta say."

"It makes more sense than water," pointed out Nicole laconically.

At last there was nothing left of Kenny but a sticky puddle on the floor, Gavin having scampered back to the safety of Stephanie's head as quickly as he could.

"You killed Kenny," said Chloe wide eyed, staring at Sami in wonder.

"I ah, um," Sami struggled to find the words, "I guess I did."

"Do you know what this means?" asked Philip slowly, eyeing the oozing muck on the floor that used to be their boss.

"That I wish it wasn't my turn on the roster to do the floors this week?" offered up Dan with a grimace.

"It means we're free," said Philip, a slow smile coming to his lips, "We don't have to do what Kenny says anymore."

"But I thought Dayz couldn't survive without Kenny?" fretted Brady.

"Dayz as we know it can't survive," agreed Philip, a light coming into his eyes, "But now that he's gone we can make a new future for ourselves – one where we don't look like idiots all the time, one where proper stories with proper characters in them can be told and we're not forced to speak crap all the time."

"Do you know what we should do next?" asked Nathan, sitting a little straighter, "We should fly over to see Gary and Dena and run them far from Dayz while we're at it. With Kenny gone they'll have no power over us anymore."

The other flying monkeys chorused their agreement and in a flap of wings and fur they were all out the window, on their way to see the junior wizards.

"Time to give them a taste of their own medicine!" Philip crowed as they flew away, "Crap for flinging on standby guys!"

"That is going to be one ugly, ugly showdown," said Chloe with a shake of her head as they all watched them leave, "Not to mention a stinky one."

"So now can we go to the Emerald City so I can get out of here?" asked Sami impatiently, stepping over the goo that had once been Kenny.

"Haven't you forgotten something?" asked Nicole in ire as she was still forced to hop about, "I've been turned into a swizzle stick!"

"But on the up side you've lost weight," said Stephanie brightly, "That's a good thing right?"

"Someone club her to death with one of my arms," Nicole ordered them menacingly, "Right now!"

"Oh," said Stephanie looking taken aback, "How rude."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter TEN**

"Stop complaining will you?" Sami snapped impatiently.

"Why shouldn't I complain?" asked Nicole bitterly, "I've been put back together wrong – my left arm is where my right should be and vice versa!"

"At least one of them is no longer your leg," pointed out Chloe pragmatically.

"Whose brilliant idea was it anyway to let Stephanie reassemble me?" asked Nicole in annoyance.

"It was no ones," said Sami with a sweet smile, "She was the only one who wanted the job so you should be grateful for small mercies."

"Gee thanks," said Nicole sarcastically.

"You're welcome," Stephanie chimed in happily.

"For nothing," muttered Nicole under her breath.

"I don't believe it!" Sami gasped as they rounded a curve, "At last!"

"It's the Emerald city!" exclaimed Stephanie delightedly, clapping her hands together excitedly.

"No that's another bush," said Chloe with a roll of her eyes and directed Stephanie's gaze upwards, " _That' s_ the Emerald City."

"Oh," said Stephanie in surprise, "It doesn't look like a bush at all – I wonder why that is?"

"Because it isn't?" suggested Nicole in exasperation.

"Come on!" said Sami excitedly, "I'm almost out of this nightmare, let's go!"

They ran the rest of the way but before they got to the big and impressive door that was the only way into the Emerald City Nicole stopped them.

"Hold on," she cautioned them, "They're not going to just let us in without a cover story."

"Why not?" asked Sami in vexation.

"Because you have to book an audience with the Big Wizard months in advance," said Chloe with a nod, "He doesn't take walk ins."

"Well he's going to take me," said Sami, her lips thinning determinedly.

"Hold on GI Joe," said Nicole flatly, "We can't storm the city gates, we have to be smart about this."

A few minutes later Chloe, Nicole, Sami and Pookie were huddled behind some bushes and watching as Stephanie approached the large gates.

"Explain to me again how this is us being smart sending Stephanie out there?" asked Sami sceptically.

"It's simple," said Nicole impatiently, "We all know Stephanie's an idiot right?"

"Right," Sami and Chloe agreed without hesitation.

"Well no one would send someone that stupid in if they were really up to something now would they?" reasoned Nicole, "The guy will answer the door, figure she is too stupid to make something like this up and take the bait."

"So Stephanie will tell the gate keeper that someone is trying to get in the back of Emerald City, he'll go to investigate and then we can all just walk in," said Chloe slowly, "Right?"

"Right," said Nicole confidently.

They all watched now as Stephanie knocked on the big door and it was opened a minute later by a man dressed in a suit, albeit a green one.

"Tony!" exclaimed Sami in amazement.

She'd wondered why she hadn't seen him with the rest of the munchkins.

"Shh!" Nicole hissed at her.

"Hi," said Stephanie brightly, "I'm Stephanie."

"Okay," said Tony calmly.

I think someone is trying to sneak into the Emerald City the back way thought Stephanie to herself happily.

"And while you're gone my friends and I are going to sneak in through the front door," she said aloud, a big, dopey smile on her face.

"Oh dear god no," Sami groaned in disbelief, "She's said the wrong thing aloud!"

A vague smile came to Tony's lips as he looked Stephanie up and down coolly.

"I think you have just said what you meant to think and thought what you meant to say my dear," observed Tony, his face giving nothing away, "At least I'm assuming that was what that was."

"You idiot!" Sami threw at Nicole, "Look what you've done now!"

"At least I had a plan," said Nicole indignantly.

"Yeah Sami," said Chloe, looking like she was coming to Nicole's defence but it was short lived, "She just didn't tell us that it sucked."

"I'm sick of this!" declared Sami, standing up from behind the bushes and striding over to where Tony and Stephanie were standing.

She squared off with Tony.

"Okay," said Sami forcefully, "I know you're not meant to let anyone through that door but I'm desperate! I have to see the Big Wizard because I don't belong here, I really don't! I need to get back home to my children, to my life and I just can't be in the crazy place anymore! Please, please can you break the rules just this once for us Tony – you would literally be saving my life – I'm begging you!"

Sami looked back over her shoulder at the others and Chloe pulled a face.

"You're coming off a bit needy," she advised Sami, "You may want to tone that down a bit."

Sami rolled her eyes at the lack of help she was getting before turning back to the older man.

"Please Tony," she said earnestly, "Please, I need you to do this for me, I really do."

Tony didn't speak for a long time, just stared back at Sami before giving her the same once over that he'd given Stephanie.

"Sure," he said at last with a little shrug, "Why should I care?"

"Wh-what?" asked Sami, a little taken aback by his response.

"Look Dayz has killed me off more times than I care to remember," said Tony with a twist of his lips, "What do I care who comes and goes in their stupid city? I'm just here to steal a few candlesticks and a bit of cutlery and then I'm outta here."

"Really?" asked Sami, wrinkling her nose at him.

"Sure," said Tony with a quirk of his lips, "Come on in, make yourself at home – take anything that catches your eye – that's what I'm doing."

"Ah okay," said Sami hesitantly as Tony stepped back to let them all pass.

"Well that was unexpected," commented Nicole as they walked into the grand looking hallway.

"Rolf!" Tony yelled from the doorway, "Some ladies to see the Big Wizard for you!"

Rolf popped out of a little door off to the right of them which Sami suspected was actually a cupboard and made a bit of a grunt.

"Zis vay," he instructed them and started to head off down the hall.

"I can't believe I'm finally going to get out of this place," said Sami, feeling the relief rush through her body, "I'm am so over Dayz."

"You and everyone else if the ratings are anything to go by," said Nicole casually.

"Ratings?" asked Sami in confusion, "What does that mean?"

"Never mind," said Nicole coolly, "Forget it. Hurry up Lurch, we've all got places we'd rather be."

"Vhy am I alvays za lackey in zese zings?" Rolf grumbled as they walked along the impressive hallway, turning this way and that, "I speak zeven languages, I have four degreez and yet I'm za one giving za guided tourz."

"Less talk and more walk Rolf," said Sami curtly, "I want out of here."

Finally they walked into what looked like a grand ballroom with a series of steps that led up to a huge and very red velvet curtain.

"I guess our guy knows how to make an entrance," observed Chloe, looking around at scene.

A large group of people seemed to be milling about, some looking like they were working, some not so much. Everyone of them though were dressed in different shades of green.

"Big Vizard your next appointment iz here," called out Rolf, still sounding vaguely put out.

"I don't hear my pomp and circumstance," came back a sing song voice from behind the giant velvet curtains.

"I'll give you your pomp and zircumstanze," muttered Rolf in annoyance before clearing his throat and giving the introduction the Big Wizard clearly expected.

He went and stood in the centre of the first step of the grand stair case as everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him. Clearly they were used to this and Sami had to wonder if this was what happened for everyone who wanted an audience with the Big Wiz.

"Denizenz of Dayz, Employeez of za Emerald Zity... I give to you, za vone, za only, za Big Cheeze himself... ZA BIG VIZARD OF DAYZ!"

Rolf gave a grand sweep of his arm before backing away from the stairs and then promptly walking off back down the hall, obviously not feeling the need to hang around. The red velvet curtain began to lift slowly.

"I'm so excited," said Chloe, jumping up and down, "I've heard the Big Wizard is very cute and a real lady's man."

Sami didn't care so much about that, just that he could get them home although she was curious as to who it would turn out to be. The curtain had lifted now to reveal quite a tall, dark haired man standing at the top of the stairs in one amazing outfit. He was wearing a shirt that tied at the front and was completely made up of sequence and pants that were quite extraordinary. They were made entirely of tassels so when he walked they moved rather disconcertingly. He looked like he was wearing a sea anemone in a weird way.

"Hello my darlings!" cried out the Big Wizard, making an expansive gesture with both of his arms, "How about a little song to get this party started eh?"

With that the Big Wizard launched into his version of "Hello Dolly", complete with a very enthusiastic dance. A glitter ball dropped from the ceiling and back up dances appeared behind the Big Wizard and suddenly it was a full Hollywood musical. Everyone stared at the flamboyant scene, momentarily lost for words.

"Are you sure you heard he was a lady's man and not just a lady man?" asked Nicole sceptically as the Big Wizard belted out the chorus of his chosen song.

"He's so shiny," said Stephanie in wide eyed wonder, "Look at him sparkle."

She began to rock back and forth as though mesmerised by the shininess of it all as he danced and sang away merrily to his audience.

"Those jazz hands are really something," said Sami unevenly, joining in on the commentary.

She was beginning to doubt that this dancing queen was going to be any real use to her getting home after all. And he seemed strangely familiar too. It took her awhile but Sami suddenly realised it was Chris, Kate's assistant that she'd met at the gym. From her meetings with him and if this was the same guy then lady man was definitely a more apt description. The Big Wizard then did a high kick during his dance number and everyone gave a gasp of horror.

"Wow," said Nicole with a pained expression on her face, "I did not expect those puppies to be crotchless."

"That was a surprise," agreed Sami with a grimace.

The musical number was getting into full swing when Sami suddenly remembered something. She waited until the singing and dancing was over and Chris or rather the Big Wizard twirled over to them, ending his routine on a big flourish.

"Ooohhh!" exclaimed Stephanie, excitedly clapping his energetic performance, "Again, again!"

"No not again!" exclaimed Sami, frightened that might actually happen.

"A quick costume change and I'll be right back," he said excitedly.

"NO!" said Sami firmly, grabbing his arm, "No costume changes, all I want from you is for you to go and get the real Big Wizard."

"Wh-what?" he asked, looking at her wide eyed.

"You heard me," said Sami defiantly, folding her arms in front of herself.

"Sami what are you doing?" asked Chloe in concern.

"I'm cutting through the sparkles," said Sami flatly, not backing down, "I want to see the real Big Wizard."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter ELEVEN**

"What do you mean the real Big Wizard?" asked Chris, looking put out, "I'm he, I'm the big enchilada, the top guy , the-"

"No you're not," Sami interrupted him determinedly, "It's someone else – isn't it?"

Chris opened his mouth and looked like he was going to keep on denying it but then closed it again and looked a little sheepish.

"Oh alright clever little kitten," he admitted, "I'm not the Big Wizard, I'm not even the medium sized one."

"Oh!" Chloe gasped, "I don't believe it!"

"The real Big Wizard is too busy to be seeing all of these people all the time so he just delegates a little," said Chris with an apologetic shrug, "That's how big business works."

He looked at Sami curiously.

"What gave me away?" asked Chris, wrinkling his nose, "Was it the pants – Dante said they were too much but I just wouldn't listen."

"If anything they were too little," said Chloe with a grimace.

"She's right," agreed Nicole readily, "Sew up that crotch or at least put on some underwear next time."

"The underwear might be a good idea," said Chris thoughtfully, "You should see the chaffing I get."

"Pass," said Nicole flatly.

"All I want to see is the Big Wizard," said Sami desperately, "The _real _ Big Wizard!"

"I think that can be arranged," said a deep and interestingly accented voice from the top of the stairs.

"Is that the real Big Wizard?" asked Stephanie, "I'm getting confused now."

Sami looked up at to the top of the stairs and wondered if the weirdness was ever going to end.

"Hugh Jackman," said Sami in disbelief, "The Big Wizard is Hugh Jackman?"

"Hey check it out," said Nicole looking the long legged and buff actor up and down in appreciation, "The Big Wizard has an ass that you could crack acorns on – nice."

"And that's not all little lady," said Hugh Jackman, giving her a cheeky wink, "The Big part of my title just isn't just honorary if you know what I mean."

"Good to know," said Nicole, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Wait a minute," said Sami, holding up her hand and shaking her head, "Just wait a cotton pickin' moment here. You're telling me the Big Wizard is Hugh Jackman? Hugh Jackman the Australian actor? What the hell is that all about?"

"That is about you watching the movie "Australia" last night," said Hugh with a big smile, "And you practically wearing out the DVD over the bucket scene part."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Sami sniffed, trying not to look embarrassed.

"I'm talking about this," said Hugh, clicking his fingers and suddenly a big screen fell from the sky and an image of Sami watching the DVD in her room came up.

[center][flash=250,210] .com/watch?v=e-oVONuM8Bw [/flash][/center]

Sami blushed bright red as she, along with the rest of the population of the Emerald Kingdom watched her rewind and play that part over and over again.

"It had a scratch on the DVD," said Sami hastily, her cheeks flaming

"I've got a scratch in my DVD right now too after watching that," said Nicole throatily, sending Hugh a sexy look, "Care to buff it out Big Wizard?"

"Put it back in your pants Nicole," said Sami in annoyance before Hugh could answer her.

"I'm not the one getting RSI in her rewind finger," said Nicole with a smirk.

"Now ladies," said James suddenly reappearing in a puff of smoke, "Play nicely together eh?"

"Oh now he turns up," said Sami in exasperation, "Where were you when it was raining flying monkeys huh?"

"You had Gavin," said James with a little shrug, "I knew you'd all be fine."

"A little heads up about the squirrel pee and Kenny would have been nice to know," said Sami in aggravation.

"The Samantha Brady I know enjoys adventures," said James with a boyish smile but Sami wasn't so amused.

"You may not be EJ but you're just as annoying as he is," Sami snapped.

"It's part of our charm," said James with a lop sided grin.

"Trust me," said Sami dourly, "It really isn't."

The trouble was though that even as she said that her heart was pattering away madly at being smiled at by this man. Stupid heart she chastised it in annoyance.

"So wait," said Stephanie, still very confused, "You're the Big Wizard now?"

"No," said James with a patient smile, "Hugh is."

"Right," said Stephanie slowly, "So you're the one I have to ask about getting a brain."

"Not before time either," said Chloe in exasperation, "I don't even know how she is remembering to suck in her own drool with that brain capacity."

"I'm the one you need to talk to," agreed Hugh agreeably.

Sami however knew how this story went. She hurried up the stairs to get to where James and Hugh were standing together.

"Alright, alright," said Sami impatiently, "We all know the drill. Stephanie always had a brain, Nicole always had a heart and Chloe always had courage. Blah, blah, blah. Now can we just skip through to the part where you send me home already please?"

"Impatient little dickens isn't she?" noted James to Hugh with an indulgent smile.

"I'm not impatient I just want to get home _now _!" Sami bit out, "Like I said, we know that the others already have what they need and have had it all along so just send me home and this will all be over."

"Actually no they don't," said Hugh with that charming smile of his.

"What?" asked Sami in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"What Hugh means is that Stephanie really does need a brain, Nicole absolutely needs a heart and Chloe needs some courage," said James evenly before sending Chloe a quick wink, "And that duct tape of course."

"And here they are," announced Hugh, walking down the stairs and pulling three little boxes out of his coat jacket.

"A brain for you Stephanie," he said, handing the young girl the first box, "Use it wisely and use it often."

"Oh thank you!" beamed Stephanie, "I shall think like I have never thunk before."

"Well that last sentence could do with a little attention first up," said Nicole dryly.

"And for you Nicole," said Hugh handing her a box now, "Your heart, be kind to it and be sure of who you give it to."

Nicole gave a bit of a grimace and took the gift, holding it to her chest.

"And Chloe," said Hugh with a sigh, "Courage for you my dear – courage to face who you truly are and to be honest – with yourself and those important in your life."

"Thank you," said Chloe quietly, accepting the offered gift.

Despite herself Sami couldn't help but be touched by the little ceremony and had to wonder if their real life counterparts would be having easier lives if something like this had happened to them.

"I'm glad you've all gotten what you needed," Sami said with a half smile, still at the top of the stairs with James, "I hope it makes you all happy – you all deserve it."

Nicole, Chloe and Stephanie looked at Sami and then at one another before huddling around and talking in low voices to one another.

"What are they saying?" asked Sami, looking at the little group curiously.

"You'll find out soon enough," said James, a small smile playing around his lips.

The group broke up then and all three of them walked up the stairs to where Sami was standing.

"We've been talking," said Stephanie, "And we decided something."

"What?" asked Sami, having no idea what was going on.

"We decided that you need these more than we do," said Stephanie earnestly.

"Oh," said Sami in surprise.

"You need a brain so you can make your mind up once and for all what it is you want and who you want to be Sami," said Stephanie, handing her the little box that Hugh had just given her.

Sami accepted it because she wasn't sure what else to say.

"And you need a heart," said Nicole, her lips twisting, "So you can give it away properly, once and for all to the right person."

Sami numbly took the offered gift from Nicole, unable to believe that this was happening.

"And you need courage Sami," said Chloe quietly, "More than any of us to face your fears and to be able to forgive those who have hurt you and learn to accept the people in your life for who they really are and not what you want them to be."

Sami took Chloe's offered gift, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I-I don't know what to say," she said emotionally.

"Say you'll make good use of them," said Nicole with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Thank you," said Sami sincerely.

"And if you screw this up I'll kick your ass," finished Nicole.

"Well there goes the moment," said Sami wryly.

"I have a very small window of tolerance for being nice to you Sami and it is rapidly closing," said Nicole unapologetically, "Take what you can get and be thankful."

"Gavin and I just want you to be happy," said Stephanie earnestly.

"I don't have strong feelings one way or the other," said Chloe blithely.

"It's up to you now Samantha," said James in that throaty, lilting voice of his, "Kenny is dead. You don't have to do anything you don't want to anymore. You have your heart back now – look into it and find the courage to face what you've always known to be true. You just need to go home now."

"But-but I don't know how," said Sami, her bottom lip trembling, "I don't know where home is."

James walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder and smiled kindly down at her.

"Of course you do Samantha," he said softly before giving her a gentle push.

Sami took a step backwards to find nothing was behind her seeing she was on the top of the stairs. Her arms flailed wildly as she began to fall backwards. The last thing she saw was James handsome and bespectacled face as she toppled into darkness, his rich voice following after her.

"Home is where the heart is."

Sami let out a cry and sat bolt upright, the stark whiteness of her surrounds making her blink blindly for a moment.

"Samantha!" said a familiar voice urgently, "Samantha – oh thank God!"

"J-James?" she stammered uncertainly as she turned to look at the owner of the voice.

"No sweetheart," he said, deep concern clouding his face, "It's me EJ, lie back down, you've had a terrible bang on the head."

Sami let EJ lie her back down, unable to take her eyes off him.

"You're not wearing glasses," she said weakly, still confused about all that had just happened.

"You know I wear contacts darling," he chided her gently, "Just like you."

"Oh," said Sami quietly and then realised, "I'm home."

"Yes," said EJ squeezing her hand, "You're home Samantha."

"And you're here EJ," she whispered.

_Home is where the heart is... _

James' words came back to Sami.

"Yes I'm here Samantha," said EJ softly, "I'll always be here if you let me."

He looked away sharply then and seemed to be blinking away tears.

"Oh god Samantha I was so afraid," said EJ hoarsely, looking back at her with stricken eyes, "When you hit your head and didn't wake up I was terrified I'd lost you forever and I couldn't bear it."

Sami could see EJ's distress was real, could see the pain and fear written all over his face and knew he wasn't lying.

"I've had a terrible nightmare," said Sami shakily, "And I couldn't wake up from it."

"I know what you mean," said EJ painfully, "I've been living a nightmare ever since Lucas returned and I lost you and I still haven't woken from it."

Sami saw the sincerity and the regret that was etched deeply into EJ's handsome face.

"Kiss me," said Sami unevenly.

EJ looked at her in surprise.

"What?" he asked hoarsely.

"Kiss me EJ," she ordered him again, never taking her eyes from his.

"Samantha," said EJ, his face filling up with remorse and Sami could see he wanted to but wouldn't let himself, "There is something you have to know. Before you hit your head you overheard something terrible, something horrible that I've done."

"I remember," said Sami calmly.

"You-you do?" asked EJ in shock.

"Yes," said Sami without hesitation, "Now kiss me."

EJ looked at her in disbelief but certainly didn't need to be told again. He pressed his lips to hers and Sami immediately tasted his hunger and desperation for her. She could feel him trying to communicate his soul to her in that single kiss – urgently needing her like no one had ever done before. His kiss told Sami of EJ's love for her, his remorse and how much he wanted things to be different. When it finally ended they were both breathless. EJ looked at her wide eyed, panting slightly.

"Now go away," said Sami quietly and watched as EJ's face fall.

He straightened up and stood, looking down at her with broken eyes. Without a word EJ turned around and did as Sami had asked, leaving her to her thoughts.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter TWELVE**

Sami walked into the den of the DiMera mansion, her heels practically noiseless on the thick carpet. She couldn't hear him but Sami knew that EJ was right behind her. She'd been released from the hospital that morning and had returned to the mansion with some sticky plaster on her head and orders to take it easy. EJ had been there when she walked in the door and told her the children were asleep. After checking on them Sami had told EJ that they needed to talk.

He'd had a pensive expression on his face at that statement but hadn't argued. Taking a deep breath she turned around and faced him now. EJ stared silently back at her, his face solemn, knowing his moment of reckoning had at last arrived. Sami squared her shoulders and pulled back her hand, delivering a stinging slap to EJ's cheek. His head snapped to one side but he didn't say a word of complaint.

"That is for taking my child," said Sami, her eyes flashing fire at him.

EJ just blinked and looked steadily back at her. He almost looked relieved that this moment was finally here. Sami slapped him again, her hand stinging madly at the fierce assault on EJ's face.

"That is for making me think she was dead," said Sami, unable to help the emotional wobble in her voice or the tears that welled up in her eyes.

EJ didn't answer her, just continued to stand there silently and take whatever it was that she saw fit to dish out. Sami hit him again, as hard as she could but this time didn't speak so EJ asked instead.

"What was that for?" asked EJ hoarsely, tears in his eyes but Sami knew they were from emotional pain rather than physical, just like hers were.

"For giving up on me," she whispered unevenly, a single tear streaking down her cheek, "For marrying Nicole and making me think you didn't love me anymore. For letting me go when I needed you more than ever."

EJ made a pained gasp at her admission, searching her face in disbelief.

"Samantha," he said her name raggedly, the emotion straining his voice nearly beyond recognition.

Sami knew that EJ was struggling to believe what she was saying to him, albeit in a roundabout way. He knew what she was admitting to him, that she'd loved him all along just like he'd done her but had never found the courage to face it. In her head loving EJ meant that she had to let go of being the good girl and therefore letting go of craving the acceptance of everyone around her.

So Sami had kept her heart from EJ, never acknowledging how much of it he already he had. She'd run from it all, from EJ, the depths of her feelings and found solace in something that was safe and comfortable but never really filled that hole in her heart. She didn't know what that dream was, if it had really happened on some level or if it was just her mind playing tricks on her. Sami knew though that whatever her time in Dayz was it had shown her something that she just hadn't been able to face until this moment.

"Don't do it again," she said thickly in what was meant to be an order but came out more as a plea.

So many emotions were playing across EJ's face as he tried to comprehend what she was saying to him. Sami knew that EJ was expecting her to tear him apart for taking Sydney from her the way he had and she knew that there would be a time to talk about that but right now wasn't it. Sami had to face the fact that she'd started all of this by denying her feelings from EJ and not facing her fears when she should have. It didn't make what EJ had done any less wrong but it did mean that Sami had her share of the blame to face and for the first time she was ready to really face that. Sami could see EJ struggling to believe what was happening between them but then they'd never been a conventional couple.

"I love you," said Sami simply, tears running down her face as she gave all of her heart away for the first and last time.

"Samantha," EJ groaned, his face a mixture of agony and joy as he reached for her, crushing her lips beneath his.

Sami returned his kiss with every part of her being, letting him taste in it her own regret for the pain she'd caused. EJ kissed her like a man on the edge, desperate and demanding, full of need for her. Suddenly it was too much to have anything between them anymore and Sami's hands went to EJ's shirt, beginning to unbutton it hurriedly. Still kissing her EJ moved to help of her, quickly shrugging out of the garment before his hands went to her blouse, anxious fingers fumbling with the tiny buttons.

It was Sami's turn to help now and very soon she was adding her blouse to EJ's shirt on the carpeted floor. EJ picked her up and deposited her on the desk, his kisses becoming more urgent as Sami drew him in between her legs, revelling in the feeling of his hard, muscled chest pressed up against her bra covered breasts. EJ suddenly pulled back, his breathing ragged as he looked at her with desperate uncertainty.

"Are you sure?" he asked hoarsely, giving Sami one last chance to change her mind.

"So sure," Sami promised him throatily before wrapping her arms around his neck and dragging his mouth back down on hers, both of them losing themselves in the other.

**oooOOOOooo**

Stefano walked by the door of the den and paused momentarily, knowing already that Elvis and Samantha were in there. Kate walked up to him and arched an eyebrow at him.

"I don't hear any screaming," said Kate flatly, "Do you think they've killed each other?"

Stefano gave a little chuckle at that.

"All great loves feel like death sometimes," he commented with a quirk of his lips, "We should leave them to work it out between the two of them."

"Oh yes," said Kate with a roll of her eyes, "Because they've done so well with that in the past."

"Outcomes don't always matter my dear," said Stefano with a little smile, "Just that they continue to be strived for."

Kate arched an eyebrow at her husband.

"You're very philosophical today," she observed, "So what are you saying – it doesn't matter what EJ and Sami do to each other what counts is that one way or the other they keep coming back to each other in the end?"

"I could not have put it better myself Katherine," agreed Stefano with a nod.

"You're being very calm about that concept," said Kate with a confused frown, "I thought you weren't that into an EJ and Sami union?"

"For some things in this world it doesn't matter what everyone else might want," said Stefano with a resigned shrug, "Some things just are."

"Like EJ and Sami?" queried Kate with a twist of her lips.

"We do not always have a choice about the people we let into our hearts," said Stefano with a small smile, "Some people find a place whether you wish it or not."

**oooOOOOooo**

EJ lay on the carpet of the den, holding Sami in his arms, their breathing only slowly returning to normal. Their clothes were strewn all around them and Sami couldn't even bring herself to care that they were both lying there buck naked with only an unlocked door between them and the rest of the household. She lifted her head from EJ's chest and looked down at his still sweaty face and gave a little smile. EJ looked as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders whilst Sami felt like a great emptiness had finally been filled.

"Say it again," he begged her, looking at Sami adoringly.

"I love you," she said softly knowing it was as simple and as complicated as that.

"Even though-" began EJ, still obviously perplexed by Sami's abrupt about face.

"Even though," Sami agreed, putting her hand over his lips to stop him from finishing that sentence, "We've both made mistakes EJ and hurt one another horribly."

"I don't want to hurt you anymore Samantha," said EJ painfully, "And I don't want to be hurt anymore either."

"Either do I EJ," said Sami sincerely, putting her hand on his chest, "Let's just start over, keep all the good things from the last four years and throw the rest away."

"I'd like that," said EJ, a slow smile spreading over his face, "I'd like that very much Samantha."

Sami lay her head back down on EJ's chest and let herself be lulled by the steady beating of his heart which was slowly returning to normal.

"Samantha?" said EJ after a little while.

"Mm," murmured Sami contentedly.

"Who's James?"

Sami lifted her head and looked down at EJ with an amused little smile on her lips.

"You called me James when you first woke up and I was just wondering who he was?" said EJ, trying for all he was worth to make the question appear casual but not quite pulling it off.

Sami's smile widened as she saw the little note of jealousy in EJ's tone even though he was trying to hide it.

"He's someone you should be very thankful to EJ," said Sami huskily, "Otherwise you might not even be here."

"Oh," said EJ, looking confused by that, "But-"

Sami silenced his next question with a kiss and EJ quickly forgot his interest in this James person as he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss.

**oooOOOOooo**

Sami straightened her blouse and shyly smiled up at EJ as he held open the door for her, his face practically beaming his love and happiness.

"I want to see Sami and I want to see her now!"

"Ms Brady is indisposed sir, perhaps if you came back later?"

EJ and Sami had stepped out into the hall to see Rafe standing in the foyer trying to get by Reynolds, their butler. Rafe looked past the other man to see EJ and Sami standing together. They didn't need to say what they'd been doing, it was obvious. EJ's hair was all ruffled as was Sami's and their clothes were dishevelled and both of them wore a post orgasmic glow that was hard to miss.

"What the hell?" demanded Rafe, his face darkening into angry storm clouds at it was clear to him what she and EJ had just been doing, "You've got to be kidding me!"

He glared daggers at EJ and then at Sami before turning on his heel and storming out of the mansion without a backward glance. Sami felt EJ tense beside her as he looked down at her uncertainly, obviously expecting her to run after him like she always had when Rafe would leave her. She wasn't surprised, after all that was what had happened with this almost exact same scenario with Lucas but now things were different, she was different. Sami simply took EJ's hand and threaded her fingers through his and hugged their joined hands to her chest.

"Let's go upstairs EJ," she said softly, gently tugging him forward, "We've got a lot to talk about."

An enormous expression of relief flooded EJ's face and Sami just smiled, holding onto his hand tightly as they walked up the stairs... together.

**A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others.**

___**The Wizard of Oz**___


End file.
